Problems installing Vista x64 in boot camp

So, I have a new unibody Macbook Pro 15 inch and after playing with it for a month and having XP in parallel only, I decided to install Vista Ultimate through boot camp so that I'll be able to play games on my macbook. Now here's the problem...

After I load up the boot camp assistant and I proceed to install Windows, the laptop restarts and goes to the Vista installation screen. I set up the region codes and language that I prefer and I hit next. Now, I finally hit the big "Install Now" button in the middle. After clicking on this button though, I hit my error:

Required cd/dvd drive device driver is missing.

My dvd drive is the Matsushita DVD-R UJ-868
My IDE controller is the 82801BA Ultra ATA Storage Controller 244B

Also, no, I do not have an external DVD drive and so loading up another CD with the drivers is out of the question

 

Vista 64Bit is not supported by bootcamp as far as I know.

Regards,
Simon

 

You cannot run 64 BIT vista yet like simon says .

 

Although I hope with the new 17" MBP being able to use 8GB of ram this will change VERY soon. Apple need to get that sorted, it's a joke that an 8GB laptop can only use 3.5GB of ram (vista 32bit).

Regards,
Simon

 

shhhhhhhh. Don't tell my Macbook that you can't run 64it vista. It might get the wrong idea and quit on me. In all honesty I'm not running 64bit Vista, but the 64bit beta version (cough.....see sig....cough) of it's replacement. Won't say the name here but it runs just fine, with exception of the crappy touchpad drivers.

It's not supposed to work on the macbook, but should work on the macbook pro. It took a little command line massaging to get it working on the macbook, so if you search the net you can find the necessary steps to load vista 64 on the macbook. It should work with the new macbook pro's without any trouble though. Also, I believe there's a 64bit bootcamp update on apples site you may want to check into it.

 

That's not entirely true. I'm running Vista 64 through bootcamp without any issues whatsoever. I'm using a late 2007 Macbook Pro, 2.2, 4 Gb ram. I guess it could be an issue were Vista doesn't recognize the DVD controller on the newer Macbooks. Here is a link from Apple support regarding Vista 64 and bootcamp http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1846 .

 

And all drivers work? Isight? Touchpad? Audio, etc?

Regards,
Simon

 

Yep; keyboard backlight, bluetooth, iSight, Audio, Video. The track pad still has the erratic behavior that has plagued bootcamp since day one. Although they did release an update (for the newer Macbook/Macbook Pro) that supposedly fixes this. And, since Nvidia has released their Notebook video drivers, things are smoother than ever.

 

Wow... great to hear! And these drivers are from apple? Or are they 3rd party? Anywhere to grab them from?

Regards,
Simon

 

I'm using the drivers Apple provided, but as LetsRok mentioned, you can get your video drivers directly from Nvidia now that they are supporting notebook cards on their own site instead of relying on the laptop vendors.

As I alluded to above, apple's bootcamp installer attempts to restrict the installation of Vista64 on the macbooks because the 64bit bootcamp support is only supposed to be a "feature" of the macbook pro's, but there is a relatively simple work around out on the net if you do a little digging.